Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Mary,
Well said. You are giving the students "value added" content because you are helping them to see the connection between your course and applications they will make of the content in other courses to come as well as their careers.
Gary

Mary Fabian

I am teaching a new course this session. I have reviewed the syllabus and am looking forward to presenting it in a manner that demonstrates how this class is going to build upon the foundation skills students have mastered thus far. Students often lack the ability to make the necessary connections between the application of skills from one course to
another. I have heard students say they try to "learn and dump" information each new term. I would like to break this cycle by using the syllabus as a tool for making connections among courses on the first day of class. A course syllabus can be exciting if presented with enthusiasm by the instructor.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Barbara,
A number of schools require that the students sign a sheet that they have received and reviewed the syllabus. If they aren't required to spend some time reviewing the syllabus they for the most part won't so good way to get them looking at it.
Gary

Mary Krenisky

I usually post my syllabus on our student portal and I go over it on the 1st day of class as well. However, students in our school have a bad habit of not coming to the first class because, "we're just going to talk about the syllabus on that day anyway." So now,I briefly review the syllabus, and I tell them that the detailed version of the syllabus is on the portal. Then I give a review quiz that covers subject matter they should know up to that point. It gives me a better idea of what kind of student I'm dealing with. After the quiz, I explain how I use that information. Those that miss the 1st day do not get the participation points for that quiz.

Barbara Harris

My department head requires us to examine the syllabus with the students on the first day of the new quarter. Many students won't read it otherwise, and this can cause problems down the line, when they claim they don't know what materials they should have, what is to be expected on a given date, etc.

Judith Rydman

I have always gone through the syllabus with students on the first day as part of preparing them for what will be expected. I tell them that it is like going on a trip...those who read the map before they leave, have a better idea of where they are going and will get there more successfully than starting out in the dark..which, by the way, is how many of them are if left to themselves to read the syllabus.

James Friscia

This is excellent advice! It's what I do at start of the first session of every class. I am never surprised at the questions I get about the syllabus - there are many students who do not get all of the details that I include. Reviewing policies, requirements, and expectations really does help - even with experienced students.

Angela Zamecnik

I find it helpful for both myself and the students to review the syllabus the first class. Most of the students haven't looked at it before the first class, and most times students have questions about one thing or another that are helpful to answer for the entire class. Also then, when I have students who come to me later in the term and say they did not know about a specific requirement in the class, I can tell them it is in the syllabus AND we discussed it in class.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Julie,
I think you should still go over the critical areas that you want your students to have reinforced in their minds. The assumption that they have read the syllabus online will get give you problems because they haven't unless they are exceptions. My students don't look at the syllabus in advance other than in a superficial manner. The first day I go in-depth in areas such as policies, requirements, and expectations so we all start out on the right foot together.
Gary